Senior Leadership

John Jay Shannon, MD

Chief Executive Officer

John Jay Shannon, has been the CEO of CCH since 2014, when he was unanimously appointed to the position by the Board of Directors. Prior to his role as CEO, he was the Chief of Clinical Integration at CCH. Under Dr. Shannon’s leadership, CCH is continuing on a transformative journey, developing an innovative and integrative approach to the fulfillment of the system’s mission by aligning its role as a provider of care, both in traditional and correctional settings, a public health authority and a health plan. In addition to fulfilling the health system’s mission to protect the health of all Cook County residents, Dr. Shannon is steadfast in his commitment to ensure CCH is a good steward of taxpayer funds. While the system had traditionally operated in the red, for the first time in modern history, CCH increased its net position by more than $20 million in fiscal year 2014.

A Chicagoland native, Dr. Shannon earned his Bachelor’s degree from Spring Hill College and his medical degree from Rush Medical College. He trained in Internal Medicine and was a Chief Resident at University of Texas Southwestern Affiliated Hospitals in Dallas, and later earned specialty training in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. Dr. Shannon spent most of his professional career at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, formerly Cook County Hospital. He first joined the medical staff in 1990 and served in several roles, including director of the Adult Asthma clinic, where he led several quality improvement collaborations aimed at improving the delivery of care for asthma patients within the health system and across the city. He also served as an Associate Chair of the Department of Medicine and chief of the Divisions of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County.

Dr. Shannon served as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Parkland Health & Hospital System in Dallas from 2007-2012. While there, he served for two years as a trustee of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Hospital Council.

Dr. Shannon currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Illinois Hospital Association, the Board of America’s Essential Hospitals Institute and is a Fellow of the Institute of Medicine of Chicago. For seven years, he served on the executive board of the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago, now the Respiratory Health Association. He also served on the executive board of the Chicago Asthma Consortium.

Douglas Elwell

Deputy CEO, Finance and Strategy

After working as the president of a municipal Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County (Ind.) and in leadership at multiple private health and hospital systems, Douglas Elwell came to his current role as the Deputy CEO of Finance and Strategy at CCH in 2014. He provides executive oversight for finance, revenue cycle, human resources, supply chain management, business intelligence, and decision support. Mr. Elwell is leading CCH into an increasingly self-sufficient financial era and time of clinical excellence. He works to maximize the system’s cost efficiency and sustainability. Elwell has a diverse career background, having held a Nursing Home Administrators License, and has experience auditing both health care entities and publicly held companies. Mr. Elwell has a B.S. in accounting from the University of Wisconsin and a M.S. in Administration from the University of Notre Dame.

Claudia Fegan, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Claudia Fegan joined CCH (then Cook County Bureau of Health) with 15 years of practice as an internal medicine physician. She began her career at CCH as the Medical Director of an Ambulatory Care Center, and progressed through the System, serving as the Medical Director of Fantus Health Center and the Chief Medical Officer of Southside and Southern Suburban ACHN Facilities. She was appointed Chief Medical Officer in 2013. In this role, she provides executive oversight for CCH’s medical practices and helps inform the System’s health policy initiatives. Dr. Fegan was awarded the “Soul of Medicine” award by Physicians for Social Responsibility for her work inspiring medical students to commit to careers in social justice and is the 2017 recipient of the Paul Cornely Award for her work as a health care activist. She has testified before Congress and is known as an expert in health care reform in the United States and Canada. She is also certified in health care quality and management and is a diplomat of the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians. Dr. Fegan is the president of the Health & Medicine Policy Research Group and the National Coordinator of Physicians for a National Health Program. Dr. Fegan attended Fisk University in Nashville as an undergraduate, and received her M.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

James Kiamos

CEO, CountyCare Health Plan

James Kiamos is CEO of the CountyCare Health Plan, a subsidiary of the Cook County Health (CCH), that serves more than, 300,000 members in Cook County Illinois. James has more than 25 years of experience in the managed care industry. Prior to CountyCare, Mr. Kiamos served in multiple plan leadership roles at Family Health Network (FHN) and Harmony/WellCare. At FHN, Mr. Kiamos designed the growth strategy and successfully led adaptation to Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act and Illinois Mandatory Medicaid Managed Care, while working with network hospitals and individual providers to cover an additional 180,000 lives. Mr. Kiamos has extensive experience leading hospitals and PHOs with their managed care risk strategies and operations, and has spent time advocating for health care access in Cook County and Illinois in Washington, D.C. A Chicago native, Mr. Kiamos received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Iowa, and a Master of Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago.

Debra D. Carey

Deputy CEO, Operations

During her 35-year career in hospital administration and public health, Carey has worked in Baltimore, MD, Washington, D.C, New York, and now in Chicago. She serves as CCH’s Deputy CEO of Operations and oversees all inpatient and outpatient operations for the health system. Prior to assuming the Deputy CEO position, Ms. Carey served as Chief Operating Officer of Ambulatory Services, managing CCH’s network of outpatient health centers that see nearly one million visits each year. Before coming to CCH, Ms. Carey was CEO of SUNY’s Downstate Medical Center University Hospital of Brooklyn and a Clinical Associate Professor in SUNY Downstate School of Public Health. She served as Howard University’s Hospital’s Chief Operating Officer for six years after working in senior administrative positions for Johns Hopkins Hospital and the University of Maryland Medical System. She received her B.S. in human nutrition from Syracuse University and her S. M. in Health Policy and Management from Harvard University’s School of Public Health.

Dr. Terry Mason, MD

Chief Operating Officer, Cook County Department of Public Health

A lifelong Chicagoan, Dr. Terry Mason joined CCH in 2009 as the system Chief Medical Officer, and transitioned into the role of Chief Operating Officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health in 2013. Before entering the administrative side of health care, Dr. Mason was a practicing urologist for nearly three decades. CCDPH serves more than 2.5 million residents and manages health crises such as the Zika virus and West Nile, as well as seasonal influenza, and provides critical public health services from restaurant inspections to lead mitigation. Dr. Mason is particularly invested in fighting the obesity epidemic by promoting initiatives and education about healthy eating. Dr. Mason has hosted a live radio talk show called Doctor in the House on WVON 1690 for the last 25 years, touching on topics like nutrition and substance use. Dr. Mason earned a B.S. in biology from Loyola University of Chicago, and an M.D. from the University of Illinois College of Medicine.

Dr. Ronald Wyatt

Chief Quality Officer, Quality Assurance

Dr. Ronald Wyatt is a trained internal medicine doctor with Health Care Administration experience whose career has led him across the country and the globe. Dr. Wyatt attended the University of Alabama, Birmingham for medical school and completed the internal medicine residency program at the St. Louis University School of Medicine. Dr. Wyatt served as the chief resident in his final year, making him the first African-American Chief medical resident there . After practicing medicine for nearly 20 years, Dr. Wyatt developed a passion for Patient Safety which included completing an Executive MHA degree, completing the Merck Fellowship at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, serving as medical director at the Defense Health Agency (formerly the Department of Defense military health system) patient safety center, the Food and Drug Administration Drug Safety Oversight Board and CMS’ Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation Advisors program. In 2012, Dr. Wyatt served as the first Patient Safety Officer and Medical Director for the Joint Commission, where he led the development of the Joint Commission’s Quick Safety publications. Dr. Wyatt joined CCH in 2018 following his role as the Chief Quality Officer at the Hamad Medical Corporation and Medical Director of the Hamad Healthcare Quality Institute in Doha Qatar.

Iliana Mora

Chief Operating Officer, CCH Ambulatory Services

Iliana Andrea Mora is the Chief Operating Officer of the Cook County Health (CCH) Ambulatory Services, where she is responsible for developing and implementing strategy for CCH’s Ambulatory Services, and leading ambulatory clinical and business operations, programs and functions for the System. Prior to joining CCH, Mora worked for 14 years at Chicago’s Erie Family Health Center, where she advanced from Manager of Community Relations and Planning to Chief Operating Officer. Mora was named a 2014 Honoree for Who’s Who in Chicago Hispanic Business and has received many more distinctions. Mora earned her B.A. Magna Cum Laude from The George Washington University, her Master of Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois, and a certificate from the Executive Health Care Program at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Jarrod Johnson

Chief Operating Officer, Hospital Based Services

Jarrod Johnson joined CCH in 2017 as the Chief Operating Officer for Hospital Based Services. He provides administrative leadership over clinical operations, quality and safety, and patient experience on CCH’s central campus, which includes Stroger Hospital, the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center and outpatient services. He most recently served as the Senior Vice President for Operations for the Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, New York. Mr. Johnson has worked in health care administration since the mid-1990s, working in facilities across the country. His work has been recognized by many national and regional organizations. He is also a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. Mr. Johnson holds a B.A. in Economics from Lehigh University and an MBA in Health Care Administration from the Howard University School of Business. He has completed Executive Education at the Harvard Business School in Managing Health Care Delivery. Prior to pursuing a career in health care administration, Mr. Johnson played in the National Football League.

Linda Follenweider

Chief Operating Officer, Correctional Health

Linda Follenweider joined CCH in early 2017 as the Chief Operating Officer of Correctional Health, bringing expertise in both the clinical and the administrative setting. She began her career as a Nurse Practitioner, working at clinics, hospitals, and health systems across Chicagoland, including Chicago Family Health Center, Friend Family Health Center, and Advocate Medical Group. Ms. Follenweider held dual practitioner and leadership roles at many of these locations. She was also a healthcare consultant with Health Management Associates for nearly ten years, working primarily with safety net hospitals and correctional settings. Ms. Follenweider has sat on the boards of the Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing, the Multi-State Reimbursement Alliance, and the ALA Chicago Thoracic Society Nursing Assembly as the Chair for the APN Committee. She holds a B.S. in Nursing and has an M.S. in Family Nurse Practitioner from St. Xavier University in Chicago. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Epidemiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. Additionally, Ms. Follenweider has held adjunct faculty appointments at Northern Illinois University, Loyola University Graduate School of Nursing, and UIC.

Ekerete Akpan

Chief Financial Officer

Ekerete Akpan joined CCH as the Chief Financial Officer in 2015. He has extensive experience in healthcare finance and management, first working in the Executive Branch of the New Jersey State Government, focusing on allocations to health care initiatives. Mr. Akpan also worked for the New York & New Jersey Veterans Healthcare Networks in the Bronx from 2010-2015, which uniquely prepared him to serve CCH’s patient population and maintain the System’s financial health. Mr. Akpan’s responsibilities include managing all revenues, expenses, capital expenditures and developing the system’s annual budget. Mr. Akpan earned a B.S. in accounting at the University of Nigeria, and later an M.P.A. at Rutgers University. He has also completed the Senior Executive Program at the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Mary Sajdak

Chief Operating Officer, Integrated Care Services

Mary Sajdak started her career with CCH in 1992, when she served as the Associate Administrator of Ambulatory Care for three years, managing the day-to-day operations of Fantus Health Center. After spending nearly two decades in the private health care sector, Ms. Sajdak returned to CCH, assuming the role of Senior Director of Integrated Care in 2013, and later the role of Chief Operating Officer of Integrated Care Services in 2016. Ms. Sajdak is responsible for the health system’s patient support center, inpatient and outpatient care coordination and managed care for CCH. Ms. Sajdak holds a B.S. in nursing from the University of Delaware, and earned an M.S. in community health nursing from Rush University.

Caryn Stancik

Chief Communications and Marketing Officer

Caryn Stancik served in public health and government communications for nearly three decades. As the Chief of Communications and Marketing at CCH, Ms. Stancik oversees external and internal communications, marketing, and community relations for CCH. Ms. Stancik has extensive experience in government and health care public affairs. Early in her career, Ms. Stancik led communications for the Cook County Department of Public Health, before becoming Press Secretary to County Board President John H. Stroger, Jr. She also served as the Vice President of the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council (now the Illinois Health and Hospital Association).Ms. Stancik studied journalism at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, earned a MPA from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and holds a certificate for Senior Executives in State and Local Government from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Jeff McCutchan

Interim General Counsel

As interim general counsel, Jeff McCutchan provides legal advice counsel to the CCH Board of Directors and administrators and supervises the Office of General Counsel and Risk Management Department. Mr. McCutchan collaborates with the Cook County State’s Attorney, and represents the health system in legal proceedings, as well as ensures compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. Prior to joining CCH in 2015, Mr. McCutchan worked for the Cook County State’s Attorney Civil Actions Bureau for more than 10 years. He has also held roles in private practice and in legal education. Throughout his legal career, Mr. McCutchan has predominately represented public interest clients, including municipalities, not-for-profits, and other units of local government. Mr. McCutchan studied political science at the University of Missouri at Columbia, and received his J.D. at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Cathy Bodnar

Chief Corporate Compliance & Privacy Officer

Cathy Bodnar has been the Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer at CCH since 2009. She is responsible for corporate compliance for the health system and CountyCare, CCH’s Medicaid Managed Care health plan. Ms. Bodnar has extensive health care experience, both clinically and administratively. As a registered nurse, she worked in various settings, from home care to intensive care, in three different countries. While working at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Ms. Bodnar took on administration responsibilities, working in areas such as managed care contracting, health resources, physician referral, internal audit, and corporate compliance. Ms. Bodnar regularly presents as a subject matter expert for compliance conferences and has been published. She earned a B.S. and a M.S. in health services from University of St. Francis.

Carrie Parmuk-Volk

Employment Plan Officer

Carrie Parmuk-Volk is the Employment Plan Officer for Cook County Health (CCH). In this role, Ms. Volk oversees compliance with the CCH Employment Plan and related employment policies and procedures. Prior to her current role, Ms. Volk worked for the Cook County Compliance Administrator’s Office for over five years and the Cook County Complaint Administrator’s Office for over four years, where she assisted the Court Monitors with implementation of the Supplemental Relief Order issued in Shakman, et al., vs. Cook County, et al., 69 C 2145 (N.D.Ill.). She is a graduate from The John Marshall Law School, and a graduate of the Loyola University, Chicago, where she obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in Biology and Psychology.

Letitia Close

Executive Director of Government Affairs

Letitia Close joined CCH in 2013, and is currently the Executive Director of Government Affairs. In this role, she leads legislative strategy, oversees policy development and serves as a liaison between CCH and local, state and federal governmental stakeholders. Her role functions to advance CCH’ policies and initiatives. Ms. Close joined CCH after spending the majority of her career in the public sector, including working in government and legislative affairs capacities for the city of Chicago, the Chicago Transit Authority and Cook County. Ms. Close has a B.A. in political science from Loyola University Chicago.

Barbara Banks Pryor

Chief Human Resources Officer, Cook County Health

Barbara Banks Pryor leads Cook County Health’s (CCH) Human Resources department, where she is responsible for leading the human resources team across all areas, including: Talent Management, Operations, HRIS (Human Resources Information Systems), Class and Compensation, Organizational Development, & Training, Position Control, EEO and Labor Relations. Under her leadership, CCH has worked to re-engineer various business processes and has implemented system automation to increase productivity, reduce paper and increase overall service levels within CCH. Previously, Mrs. Pryor served as Director of Human Resources, Information Systems (HRIS) for the Cook County Government Offices of the President. She received a B.S. in marketing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, completed coursework for an M.B.A. in Finance and Management Information Systems (MIS) from Loyola University of Chicago, and has attended the Harvard Kennedy School of Business Executive Education program.